SpongeBob SquarePants and other silly, rapid-fire cartoons have come under the cross hairs of the research community, with a study finding that 4-year-olds who watch a cartoon fitting the description of SpongeBob SquarePants had more trouble immediately performing cognitive tasks and maintaining self-control than those in two other groups, one of which watched a slower-paced cartoon while the other spent time drawing.

We were fascinated to discover today that Walt Disney reused animation cycles across different movies—the characters are unique (sorta) but the motions are cel for cel copies. It looks like the movies that reuse animation are from that infamous era in the 70s and 80s when Disney’s animation unit cut too many corners and churned out less “classic” fare. Well, they were copying classics—shouldn’t that count for something? Video clip below.

A 1927 film by the genius Fleischer brothers on the trials and travails of using that new-fangled bananamaphone doodad. Also starring Mr. Natural! Don’t check your speakers, it’s silent. Warning to PC types unable to put this in the context of history and enjoy it anyway: at one point, a gratuitous black stereotype is almost eaten by a lion. Simply roll your eyes and move on: the Fleischers are probably rotting in hell for their insensitivity as we speak.